Guitar Beat

Guitar Beat is the debut album by the neo-surf band the Raybeats. It was released in 1981 and produced by Martin Rushent. The album features ten original instrumentals, plus a Jan and Dean cover.

In tongue-in-cheek fashion, the original LP sleeve characterized the first side as the "listless, spotty & wasteful side" and the second as the "brave, clean & reverent side". The record sleeve also featured on the front a hand-colored photo of the band by photographer Laura Levine.

Reception
AllMusic called it "a magnificent, echo-drenched set of concise and atmospheric riff-driven tunes that in a better world would have turned up as the soundtrack for a James Bond movie directed by David Lynch."

Track listing
All compositions by Pat Irwin, Jody Harris, Don Christensen and George Scott III except as indicated.

Side one

 * 1) "Tight Turn"
 * 2) "Big Black Sneakers"
 * 3) "Tone Zone"
 * 4) "The Backstroke" (Irwin, Harris, Christensen)
 * 5) "B-Gas Rickshaw" (Jan Berry)
 * 6) "International Operator"

Side two

 * 1) "Searching"
 * 2) "The Calhoun Surf" (Danny Amis)
 * 3) "Piranha Salad"
 * 4) "Cocktails" (Irwin, Harris, Christensen)
 * 5) "Guitar Beat" (Irwin, Harris, Scott, Amis)

Personnel

 * Jody Harris - electric guitar
 * Danny Amis - bass, guitar
 * Pat Irwin - alto saxophone, organ, guitar
 * Don Christensen - drums